Overdue library book returned 65 years later for $470 fee

A classic book is getting a special new ending. A man returned a library book to Rogers High School in Spokane, Washington that had been checked out more than half a century ago.

The school's copy of "Gone With the Wind" was last checked out in 1949 by Betty Mansfeld. It never made it back, but no one at the high school realized it was missing, until 65 years later.

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Overdue library book returned 65 years later for $470 fee

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The school's principal told KGAN a man in Maine who had no connection to the high school mailed the classic book back to the west coast and explained in a letter that he found it in his dad's basement. He also asked for a favor...

"As long as I don't have to pay the late fee that is listed in the back of the of the book at 2 cents a day, that would be around $470. I was not around in 1949, I was born in 1957, ha ha."

Fortunately, the school says it has no plans of charging him for the late fee. If you think 65 years racks up a costly late fee, you should check out Chicago's Public Library.

In 2012, it received a book so long overdue that no one realized it was missing from the shelves. A limited edition copy of Oscar Wilde's classic "The Picture of Dorian Gray" came back 78 years after it was checked out. That fine would've cost the reader $6,000.